The Denver Nuggets will have Nikola Jokic available for tonight’s matchup against the Phoenix Suns, as confirmed by the team ahead of game time.
Jokic was initially listed as questionable on Denver’s injury report earlier today with a wrist sprain.
Jokic has yet to miss a game this season.
Denver will be without Aaron Gordon (right hamstring strain), Christian Braun (left ankle sprain), and Julian Strawther (lower back injury management) tonight.
Phoenix Suns Injury Updates
Jalen Green (hamstring strain) and Isaiah Livers (right hip soreness) are out for Phoenix tonight as the Suns play the second half of a back-to-back.
Grayson Allen (quad contusion), Ryan Dunn (wrist sprain), Jordan Goodwin (left ankle sprain) and Mark Williams (right calf soreness) all were questionable for Phoenix entering tonight.
Williams and Dunn are out, according to Ott.
More on Nikola Jokic
Jokic, a three-time Most Valuable Player award winner, is averaging 29.1 points, 12.6 rebounds and 11 assists per night. His averages for rebounds/assists is currently a career-high.
He’s also shooting 62.8% from the field and 44% from downtown – which would also be a career-high for Jokic.
“He’s the playmaker. We call him the hub. Everything flows through him, but they have a lot of really good players around him,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said of Jokic ahead of their last matchup. Jokic had a 14-14-15 triple-double against Phoenix.
It’s no secret Denver’s a different team without Jokic on the court, though the Nuggets are still a soundly constructed team even without the big man.
Still – with the multi-time MVP on the floor, the Denver ranks near the top of the league in the following categories:
Points per game (124.5), field goal percentage (50.8%), three-point percentage (38%) and free throw percentage (83.1%).
Jokic even recently earned praise from LeBron James on the Mind the Game podcast:
“There has not been a more dominant, complete player that I’ve played against, in a sense of attributes that you just mentioned,” James said. “From the passing to the shooting to the rebounding to the attention. There’s nothing he cannot do on the offensive end. Like, nothing at all. Nothing. You try to double him, he’s going to make you pay. You try to play him single coverage, he’s going to make you pay.
“He even brings the ball up the floor. They outlet the ball to him. I don’t know off the top of my head, there’s been a couple, but guys where a point guard would rebound the ball and outlet it to their center to push the break. That lets you know how amazing this guy is.”
Opening tip is slated for just past 7:00 PM MST.
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